Complementary time indicating mechanism for a clock

ABSTRACT

A complementary time indicating mechanism for a clock comprising a clock body including mechanisms for indicating the predetermined divisions of time, long and short hands having each inner end rotatably pivoted to said clock body and actuated by said time division mechanisms, a piece of permanent magnet fitted to the outer end of at least one of said hands, a panel of a transparent or semitransparent material covering the surface of said clock body containing said hands and a piece of magnetic material movably placed on said panel facing of said permanent magnetic piece.

'Okamoto' 22 Filed:

United States Patent 1541 COMPLEMENTARY 'T IME INDICATING MECHANISM FORA CLOCK [72] Inventor: Takeshi Okamoto, 2-3-9, Shibuya,

' 'Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan July 20,1971. 211 Appl.No.: 164,361

[52] US. Cl. ..,'........58/126 R, 58/2 R, 116/114 [51] Int. Cl; ..G04b 19/00 [58] Field of Search .58/126 R, 126 D, 126 C, 127 R,

[5 Referen ces Cited 1 v UNITED STATES PATENTS 298,557 5/1884 13101111....- .......'53 /2 3,595,010 7/1971 Kaiser ..58/126 1,167,020 1/1916 Reuter ..46/45 115 s 3,701,252 [451 Oct. 31,1972

2,915,874 I 12/1959 Ferguson, 11; ..'.,..58/126c 3,465,512 9/1969 Usuietal .58/53 RrimaryExdminei-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Stanley A. Wal Attorney-Marshall & Yeasting 57] 1 ABSTRACT A complementary time indicating mechanism for a clock comprising atclock body including mechanisms for indicatingthe predetermined divisions of time,

long and short hands having each inner end rotatably pivoted to said clock body and actuated by said time division mechanisms, 21 piece of permanent magnet fitted tothe outer end of at least one of said hands,'a panelof a transparent or semitransparent material covering the surface of said clock body containing vsaid hands and a piece of magnetic material movably placed on said panel facing of said permanent mag-.

netic piece.

v 101mm,: Drawing Figures PATENTED 11m 3 1 I872 FIG.-

FIG] 2 comumvmnrxnvnmmnrcnmo "MECHANISM FORACLOCK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates to a time indicating mechanism for a clock and more particularly to a complementary time indicating mechanism for a clock using magnetic means interlockingly actuated with the f SUMMARY oF THE INVENTION i As an (aspect of the present invention, there is provided a complementary timeindicating mechanism for a clock comprising a clock body including mechanisms for indicating the predetermined divisions of time, long and short hands having each inner end rotatably pivotedto said clock body and actuated by said time 2 7 sunflower, consisting of plural large pedals 19L1. 1912.19 LM and plural small pedals 1981,

19s2,...19sm n the surface of the panel is. oh the other hand, desired several insects 20. suitable for the floral pattern 19, for example, a ladybug or a gold beetle made of magnetic material are beforehand prepared.

With a complemental time indicating'mechanism for a clock of the aforesaid arrangement, when there are placed the insects on the surface of the panel 18 which face the long and short hands 13 and 14 respectively, then the-inserts20 are magnetically attracted by the corresponding permanent magnetic pieces 16 and 17 and areeach rotated successively along the cor- I responding pedals of the floral pattern19 inan interlocking relationship with .the rotation, in a clockwise division mechanisms, a piece of permanent magnet BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a complementary time indicatingmechanism fora clock according toan embodiment of the present invention which presents an analogous time indication; and

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view sectioned a part of a complementary time indicating mechanism for a clock according to another embodiment of the invention which displays a digital time indication.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION There will now be described by reference to the'appendeddrawing the preferred embodiments of a complementary time indicating mechanism according to the present invention for a clock.

Generally, the body 11 of a clock includes various forms of mechanism (not shown) for indicating the predetermined divisions of time. On the upper side of the clock body 11 there is installed a dial plate 12 with the time graduation separated into equal peripheral divisions. Each inner end of a long hand 13 and a short hand 14 is' rotatably pivoted by means of a shaft 15 stand on the axis of the dial plate 12. Thus, the long and short hands 13 and 14 are actuated in an interlocking relationship with said time division mechanisms included in the clock body 11.

With the present invention, there are fitted perdirection, of the long and short hands 13 and 14, thus presenting an original or unique analogous time indication in addition to the well known time indication due to the long and short hands 13 and 14.

In this case, it is preferred that various kinds of panels 18 on the surfaces of which are formed different floral pattems'from each other. are prepared, and various kinds of insects 20 made of magnetic material are prepared in order to exchange them at any desired time. I

Also, since the insect is preferred to be as-light as possible it should be prepared by coating .a magnetic material on a'slice of light plastic, for example,'foamed styrol. i

FIG. 2 illustrates an explodedperspective view sectioned a part of a complementary time indicating mechanism for a clock according to another embodiment of the invention which displays a digital time indication.

In the embodiment, panel 18A is made of semitransparent'mat'erial. From the inner wall portions of the panel 18A facing the rotation locus of said permanent magnetic piece 16 or 1.7 fitted to the long hand 13 or short hand l4integrally projected a plurality of cylindrical hollow portions, 211, 212, ...21n, at an equal v cylindrical hollow portions 211' to 21n, each of said manent magnetic pieces 16 and 17 to the respective outer ends of the long and short hands 13 and 14. On the surface of the clock body 11 containing said hands 13 and 14 is detachably placed a panel 18 made of a transparent or a semitransparent material, for example,

. glass or plastics. There is previously provided a given floral pattern 19, for example, a chrysanthemum or a second permanent magnetic pieces 221 to 22n having its inner end of an opposite magnetic polarity to that of the outer surface of said magnetic piece 16 or 17 and previously displayed with a given time indicating numeral onv its outer surface. I

The second magnetic pieces 221 to 22n are normally received in the inmost parts of the corresponding cylindrical hollow portions 21 1 to 21n.

With a complementary time indicating mechanism the inmost parts of the corresponding cylindrical hollow portions, thus displaying an original or unique digital time indication in addition to the conventional time indication according to the long and short hands.

In this case, the inner wall of each cylindrical hollow portion should be so tapered that the corresponding second magnetic piece received therein is slided back at said normal position, when the long or short hand is again going away therefrom.

I claim:

1.A complementary time indicating mechanism for a clock comprising a clock body including mechanisms for indicating the predetermined divisions of time, long and short hands having each inner end rotatably pivoted on said clock body and actuated by said time division mechanisms, a piece of first permanent magnet fixed on an outer end of at least one of said hands, a

panel of a semitransparent material covering the surfrom inner wall portions of said panel facing the rotation locus of said permanent magnetic piece at an equal peripheral interval, and a plurality of second peri manent magnetic pieces slidably received in the cor- I responding cylindrical hollow portions formed on said panel, said each second permanent magnetic piece having its inner end of an opposite magnetic polarity to that of the outer surface of said first permanent mag- I netic piece and previously displayed with a given time 1 indicating numeral on its outer surface. 

1. A complementary time indicating mechanism for a clock comprising a clock body including mechanisms for indicating the predetermined divisions of time, long and short hands having each inner end rotatably pivoted on saId clock body and actuated by said time division mechanisms, a piece of first permanent magnet fixed on an outer end of at least one of said hands, a panel of a semitransparent material covering the surface of said clock body containing said hands, a plurality of cylindrical hollow portions integrally projected from inner wall portions of said panel facing the rotation locus of said permanent magnetic piece at an equal peripheral interval, and a plurality of second permanent magnetic pieces slidably received in the corresponding cylindrical hollow portions formed on said panel, said each second permanent magnetic piece having its inner end of an opposite magnetic polarity to that of the outer surface of said first permanent magnetic piece and previously displayed with a given time indicating numeral on its outer surface. 